So it's time for a new chapter guys! This one is a bit shorter but it's got a bonus. Some of you have requested an Eames phone call so I thought it would only be fitful to add him to the story. Enjoy:)

Thanks to all reviewers and readers, you save me from the insidious writer blocks. Hope you like this chapter and if you don't you can always tell me what you think in a review :)

5.

The fifth phone call was made five days later.

Ariadne was having coffee with two mates from college; Brian and Elise. They were chatting about the latest project they had been assigned and Brian was teasing Ariadne, saying she'd probably finish it by tomorrow, when her phone started ringing.

She pulled it out of her bag, but upon seeing who the caller was, she politely excused herself to go outside.

'Who is the bloke you're ditching us for?' Brian shouted after her.

'He's no one,' Ariadne yelled back, pushing open the front door and stepping out into the breezy autumn afternoon.

'Aha, so it's a he!' Brian yelled victoriously.

'Shut up!'

'Ariadne?' a gruff, husky voice asked from the other end. She stared at it a bit confused. This was Arthur's number, but it surely didn't sound like him. It sounded like…

'Eames? Is that you?' she asked in shock.

'Ah, darling I knew it was you. Who else would Arthur put in his phone as Bishop,' Eames replied chuckling.

'Bishop? After my totem? Well, that's not very creative, I'm afraid.'

'I'm glad we can agree on that,' he said smoothly. 'But when has Arthur ever put an effort into being the least bit imaginative?'

'Oh, it only happens when he is around you, Eames,' she replied fondly.

'Of course, he would be helpless without me. You would all be.'

'So, how have you been, Eames? We haven't talked in ages. You don't know how much I've missed you!'

'Oh, I think I can imagine, darling. After all, you don't get to meet an attractive English man every day, do you? I miss you too, sunshine. It's been quite dull without you here. Arthur's been nothing but a wet blanket.'

'I've noticed he's unusually grumpy. But what have you been up to?'

'You know, the usual, another job, another rich prat who thinks his wife is trying to kill him. It's a terrible waste of our talent, if you ask me. I would prefer an inception right about now.'

'Oh yeah, what is life without the constant threat of falling into Limbo,' Ariadne replied, rolling her eyes.

'Come off it, darling, you know you enjoyed it. It was the best job we ever had.'

'Weren't you the one complaining throughout the mission how it was all in vain?'

'Oh, that was Arthur, pet, I was the blonde tart in the sexy dress,' he joked.

'Well, I do admit it wasn't half bad, though for a moment there, I really thought we were done for, especially since Cobb…'

'Had a thing for his deceased wife, yes we know, we were all there. I know he's all better now but I still wouldn't go on a mission with that man again,' he said laughing. 'The poor chap is a trouble magnet.'

'Hopefully now he's put that behind him. He hasn't come back, has he?'

'No and I don't think he has any intention of doing that and I don't blame him. The jobs are getting stale.'

'Yeah, that's got to be the reason he's not coming back,' she replied laughing.

'Enough about me, how is Paris treating you sweetheart? Cashed in that fat paycheck yet?'

'Well, I opened a new bank account and stored it there. I'll pay my doctorate with it,' she said sheepishly.

'Ariadne, you're in the city of lights and you decide to use that money to pay for your studies? How about a huge yacht or some exorbitant piece of jewellery? Go crazy a little, you are allowed, you know.'

'No thanks, Eames, that's not my style, but I'm sure you went crazy for the both of us,' she said smiling.

'You bet, there's a lovely villa in Monte Carlo with my name on it…'

'Eames! What the hell are you doing with my phone?' a sharp voice suddenly interrupted them.

It was Arthur, of course. He was standing in front of Eames, arms folded, looking anything but pleased.

'Arthur?' Ariadne asked surprised.

Eames flashed him a brilliant smile and pointed at the phone.

'Do you mind? The client called,' he lied.

Arthur seemed to relax a little. 'Oh.'

'I wasn't just going to let it ring. It would be very unprofessional,' Eames added.

'Fine, finish the conversation,' he relented.

'Oh and ask him about the sketches he received yesterday,' Arthur added walking towards his desk.

Eames complied.

Ariadne was barely holding in her laughter as she tried to come up with an answer.

'Terrible you say?' Eames echoed. 'Absolutely dreadful even? Goodness, I knew it was bad, but really this is too much…'

Arthur raised a brow.

'What is going on?'

'It seems that the client is very displeased with our services,' Eames said, faking distress.

Arthur snatched the phone from him, taking a deep breath.

'This is Arthur, is there a problem with the sketches?' he asked, waiting for the answer.

He was met with complete silence. Ariadne froze.

Arthur interpreted the silence as something else.

'I have double-checked them myself and they were fine,' he added. 'I admit they were not excellent but our current architect is…'

'Not me?' Ariadne asked.

Arthur almost dropped the phone.

'Ariadne?'

'You sound surprised.'

'What the… Eames!' he yelled upset.

'Hey, hey, it's okay, Eames was just…' Ariadne intervened.

'You went through my phone and called her?' Arthur asked scandalized.

'Oh, shut up you dunce, I just wanted to know how she is doing.'

'How did you know her number was in my phone?'

'Oh, right, because I had no idea you had talked to her before,' she heard Eames reply. 'Please, do not insult my abilities.'

'You could have just asked me.'

'No, I couldn't have because you always act like a complete sod whenever I ask about her.'

'That is not true,' he protested. 'I have never…'

'I'd suggest you stop right there before you embarrass yourself completely in front of her,' he said, pointing at the phone.

Arthur sighed and mentally kicked himself.

'I'm sorry you had to hear all that, Ariadne. Eames and I…tend to get into many arguments,' he excused himself.

'Duly noted,' she replied awkwardly.

'And he does not care for other people's possessions,' he added.

'Don't worry, I'm really happy he called. It was good talking to him again. I missed his antics.'

'You would be the only one,' he murmured.

She laughed.

'So, are you okay? How is everything going?' she asked.

'Everything is the same really. What did you two talk about anyways?' he asked sharply.

She could have sworn there was something in his tone, but she shrugged it off.

'Oh you know, catching up with each other's lives, talking about inception…that's all.'

'Really?' he asked, staring at Eames who had walked over to his desk and had his back turned.

'Yes. Nothing else, I mean maybe we would've discussed other topics but you showed up and…'

'I interrupted you guys. Next time, I'll give him some time before I walk in on him,' he replied amused.

'That would be very kind of you,' she bit back.

'You didn't ask him about what we talked, right?' Arthur asked cryptically.

'What we talked?' she asked, playing dumb.

'You know what I'm talking about, Ariadne,' he said, his voice low. 'I hope you didn't ask him about that. Eames might be crazy enough to do it.'

'Even if I had talked to Eames about it, I wouldn't tell you,' she replied annoyed. 'And why do you go assuming I'd immediately ask him for a PASIV? He's my friend, you know. We do talk about other things.'

'Fair enough, my apologies.'

'Apologies accepted.'

'...Does that mean you and I are not friends then? Since with me you don't breach other subjects?' he asked, irritation seeping into his voice.

'Excuse me? You're the one who has been avoiding all of my questions, Arthur. I have asked you several times…'

'About the job, about the new architect, about getting back into the field,' Arthur enumerated sardonically. 'Oh, and about the PASIV, of course.'

'Oh, honestly, that's your excuse? I wasn't personal enough? What was I going to ask you?'

'I don't know, you seemed to have no problems with Eames.'

'I wasn't more personal with him. You know that,' she snapped. 'We've been together through a lot.'

'All of us have been together through a lot,' he rectified.

'It's not the same thing,' she corrected him. 'You and I have been closer.'

'No we haven't,' he denied it.

'Then why would you ask me if we're friends?' she snapped.

'Because I consider you a friend, just like Cobb does,' Arthur said weakly.

'Is that so? Too bad we didn't do a lot of friendly things.'

'It was a job.'

'Can we move on already? We've been through the whole 'job' argument.'

'No, we haven't,' Arthur insisted. 'I don't understand why you're upset.'

'Try and guess. I'm sure you'll get it right eventually.'

'Alright, look, I'm sorry I haven't given you all the answers you wanted, but you only ask me about things you know I am not entitled to tell you.'

'You know that's not true. You just don't trust me, Arthur.'

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

'It's not about that.'

'Then I don't understand…'

'Forget what I said, I'm just really tired and I'm not thinking straight. We'll talk another time, okay?'

'So you're just going to hang up like a coward?'

'Damn it, Ariadne, I can't do this right now,' he hissed.

'Fine, let me make it easier for you.'

She hung up.

He let out a groan and dropped his head on his desk.

'Why is she being so difficult?' he muttered.

When he turned around, he saw Eames was glaring at him.

'What the hell is wrong with you?' he asked angrily.

'Nothing. There's nothing wrong,' he replied monotonously and got up to leave.